Netherlands came from behind to show Mexico the door

Jan Klaas Huntelaar celebrates after his penalty goal

DW

The Dutch have mounted a shock comeback against Mexico to reach the World Cup quarterfinals. What looked like a sure El Tri win was turned around in the final minutes by a vicious volley and a controversial penalty. 

Late goals from Wesley Sneijder and Klaas Jan Huntelaar finished off Mexico 2-1 in Fortaleza on Sunday. After taking a 1-0 lead early in the second half, Guillermo Ochoa's excellent goalkeeping looked like it would lead El Tri to victory. But the tired Mexicans had their hearts broken in the final moments, crashing out in the Round of 16 for the sixth straight World Cup.

After three wins in the group stage, Sunday's match was the first time Louis Van Gaal's side was tested in the brutal Brazilian heat and humidity. It was an ominous beginning for the Oranje against Mexico, with lynchpin midfielder Nigel de Jong going off after just nine minutes with an injury.

The first hour of the game was dominated by Mexico, who looked much more decisive in the final third. Giovanni Dos Santos, Oribe Peralta and Hector Herrara were a dangerous combination, while Robin Van Persie and Arjen Robben looked isolated in the Dutch front line.

Dos Santos gave Mexico a deserved lead three minutes into the second half with a brilliant effort from the top of the box. Firing back across goal on the run, it was the best effort of the tournament from Mexico's number 10.

As the match wore on, however, it was the side from the Americas, not Europe, that appeared to tire. Ochoa put in yet another world class performance in goal for the Mexicans, but it was only a matter of time before the Dutch pulled one back.

Rafael Marquez goal ushered a goal surge for Mexico against Croatia 3-1

Andres Guardado scored the second goal for Mexico

Yahoo Sports

By BRETT MARTEL (AP Sports Writer)

RECIFE, Brazil (AP) -- One of the first things Miguel Herrera did when he became Mexico's fourth coach in a year was call Rafael Marquez and ask the 35-year-old defender known as ''the boss'' to return to the national side as captain.

On Monday, the world saw why.

Marquez's pivotal goal from a header in the 72nd minute ignited a scoring burst, and Mexico surged into the World Cup's knockout stage for a sixth straight time with a 3-1 triumph over Croatia.

''I did not hesitate one minute after my talk with him to appoint him captain,'' Herrera said of Marquez, now in his fourth World Cup. ''He's had many achievements in his career, personally, but he's also provided leadership to the team, that soundness, and that is why they call him the boss.''

Marquez, Andres Guardado and Javier ''Chicharito'' Hernandez scored in a 10-minute span in the second half, dooming a talented Croatia side to elimination from the group stage.

The Croats had to win to advance and held the bulk of possession, but had trouble seriously threatening goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who kept out all efforts until an 87th-minute consolation goal from Ivan Perisic.

Mexico entered the game needing only a draw, but played aggressively and looked dangerous in attack even before breaking through. The result gave Mexico a second-place finish behind Brazil in Group A and set up a second-round meeting with Group B winner the Netherlands.

''We overcame the first hurdle,'' Miguel Herrera said, adding that the team would dine with their families in Recife later Monday night. ''We're going to celebrate tonight but tomorrow we have to start thinking of our match with the Netherlands.''

Marquez, who had scored in Germany in 2006 and South Africa four years ago, made it three straight World Cups with a goal by beating Croatia defender Vedran Corluka to head home Hector Herrera's corner.

''They wanted him to retire, and look at him,'' Guardado said. ''He plays like he's 23''

Three minutes later, Guardado found the net with a hard, left-footed, one-time shot after a cross from Oribe Peralta.

Then in the 82nd, Hernandez, the popular Manchester United striker who has been a second-half substitute in all three of Mexico's matches, scored with a header after Herrera's corner had glanced off the head of Marquez.

''Mexico was equal in the first half. We tried to (attack) and left spaces in the second half,'' Croatia defender Danijel Pranjic said. ''They scored on set plays and Marquez killed us.''

Croatia didn't score until it was too late, with Perisic sliding a shot past Ochoa after being set up by a neat backheel pass from Ivan Rakitic.

''It's a moot point whether we should have kept it nil-nil until the last 10 minutes and then go all out on the attack,'' Croatia coach Niko Kovac said. ''We decided to attack earlier, but it wasn't successful.''

Croatia's late goal was the first Mexico has conceded in the World Cup, but ''El Tri'' hardly seemed to mind when the final whistle sounded and a lively, heavily Mexican crowd in Arena Pernambuco erupted.

''Today we felt as if we were playing at home in Mexico,'' Miguel Herrera said.

Mexico appeared to be laboring through a downspell before this World Cup. It struggled just to qualify out of CONCACAF and fired three coaches in a year's time before Miguel Herrera rescued Mexico's hopes. El Tri made it to Brazil as CONCACAF's fourth team after soundly beating New Zealand in a last-chance qualifier.

Marquez was quick to credit his energetic coach for unifying the national team in a way he'd never seen before.

''Officials, the coaches, the players have shown this unity and it is quite important,'' Marquez said. ''We've shown this on the pitch and off, and that is why we have such a sound, robust group. We get along very well. ... We're all united. We're working together, and therefore you work comfortably, with joy.''

Known as a coach of the people for the way he engages fans on social media and at times in public, Herrera implored the Mexico faithful to ''stay together'' and sing the national anthem ''like never before.''

 

Mexican fans, whose green jerseys distinguished them as the overwhelming majority in the crowd, belted out a thunderous rendition.

Croatia players were heckled each time they took a corner kick, as was goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa when he touched the ball.

Mexico's counterattacks only further enlivened the crowd, particularly a sizzling 25-yard shot by Hector Herrera that rattled the crossbar in the 16th minute.

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Lineups:

Croatia: Stipe Pletikosa, Sime Vrsaljko (Mateo Kovacic, 58), Danijel Pranjic (Nikica Jelavic, 74), Ivan Perisic, Verdan Corluka, Dejan Lovren, Ivan Rakitic, Luka Modric, Darijo Srna, Mario Mandzukic, Ivica Olic (Ante Rebic, 69).

Mexico: Guillermo Ochoa, Francisco Rodriguez, Rafael Marquez, Hector Moreno, Miguel Layun, Paul Aguilar, Jose Vazquez, Andres Guardado (Marco Fabian, 84), Hector Herrera, Giovani Dos Santos (Javier Hernandez, 62), Oribe Peralta (Carlos Pena, 79).

Ochoa shines as Mexico shuts down Brazil 0-0

Bleacher Report 

Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa turned in a sparkling individual performance as Mexico held hosts Brazil to a scoreless draw in a thrilling World Cup Group A encounter Tuesday evening at the Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza.

The result leaves the teams tied atop Group A with four points each heading into the third and final round of group matches, though Brazil currently sit in first place by virtue of their superior plus-two goal differential.

For both sides, the draw means only one point is necessary in their final group match to ensure progress to the knockout stages. Brazil will play Cameroon on Monday in Brasilia, while Mexico take on Croatia, simultaneously.

The result also means the loser of Wednesday's match between Cameroon and Croatia, if there is one, is out of the tournament.

Ochoa made six saves, per @NBCSportsSoccer, including a world-class stop in the first half to deny Neymar and another in the closing moments to keep out Thiago Silva.

The goalkeeper is currently a free agent, and his performance is likely to attract numerous club sides ahead of the beginning of the European season later this year

The match got off to a lively start, with both teams eager to attack.

Brazil looked to have created a big chance in the 11th minute as Fred poked wide at the near post, but the striker had been ruled offside regardless. At the other end, Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar tipped Hector Herrera's rasping shot over the bar in the 24th minute. The referee failed to spot the touch, though, and awarded a goal-kick to the hosts.

Two minutes later, Brazil carved out the best chance yet. Dani Alves crossed from the right for Neymar at the back post, where the Barcelona star directed a well-placed header on target. The breakthrough goal seemed inevitable, but Ochoa pushed the ball away at full stretch to keep Mexico level.

Ochoa saved again, this time more comfortably, in the 35th minute from Fred's tame header following a corner by Neymar. Marcelo then shot off target from distance four minutes later, and Mexico's Jose Juan Vazquez sliced a dipping shot narrowly wide four minutes before half-time.